1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a lid construction or assembly for outfitting a hot beverage container. More particularly, the present invention relates to a combination lid-insert construction or assembly for outfitting a hot beverage container for enabling the drinker to selectively transfer heat from a hot beverage prior to consumption, preventing inadvertent removal of the lid-insert construction from the outfitted hot beverage container, and preventing spillage of beverage from a beverage container.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The broad field of lids for hot beverage containers and hot beverage container assemblies inclusive of lids is exceedingly well-developed. The art relating to means for cooling hot beverages prior to consumption by way of a lid construction or assembly is a bit more limited. In any case, it is most difficult to pinpoint with precision the most pertinent art relevant to the present invention given the wide swath of art swept by beverage container constructions and developments in the field of art generally. Nevertheless, some of the more pertinent prior is believed to be briefly described hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,493 ('493 Patent), which issued to Robinson, for example, discloses an Integrally Molded Measurer Dispenser. The '493 Patent describes a closure providing a side wall having first and second distal ends, an inner surface and an outer perimeter. A cone-shaped divider projects inwardly and upwardly from a lower perimeter of the side wall and includes a drain-back orifice therethrough. The cone-shaped divider further includes an apex having an opening therethrough. The closure further provides a lid pivotally attached at an outer diameter thereof to the outer perimeter of the side wall first distal end by an integral hinge. The lid includes a shaped substantially conforming to the side wall perimeter.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,390 ('390 Patent), which issued to Kemp, discloses a Container Lid with Cooling Reservoir. The '390 Patent describes a container lid with a cooling reservoir for releasably covering a disposable cup containing a hot beverage. The cooling reservoir includes a side wall with a small opening to allow a small volume of the hot beverage to pass into the cooling reservoir in which the beverage sufficiently cools down to enable the consumer to sip the beverage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,173 ('173 Patent), issued to Milan, discloses a Beverage container lid having baffle arrangement for liquid cooling. The '173 Patent describes a removable beverage container lid wherein the lid has a substantially enclosed space defined between an exterior cover and an interior cover. At least one inlet opening is formed in the interior cover directing a hot beverage to flow into the substantially enclosed space. Attached to the interior cover at the forward edge of the inlet opening is a partition or wall assembly having a height extending to be located substantially against the exterior cover and a length at least equal to the length of the inlet opening. Between the partition or wall assembly and the peripheral edge of the exterior cover is located a gap area. Connected with the gap area is a dispensing opening formed in the exterior cover. Hot beverage is required to flow around the partition or wall assembly and into the gap area prior to flowing through the dispensing opening exteriorly of a beverage container.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,448,510 ('510 Patent), which issued to Pavlopoulos, discloses a Cup Assembly having a Cooling Compartment. The '510 Patent describes a cup assembly comprising a cup and a lid to define therebetween a first passage and a second passage to allow a liquid cooling compartment between the lid and the cup to be filled with liquid contained in the cup when the first passage is clear and the second passage is blocked and the liquid in the liquid cooling compartment is able to flow out of an outlet in communication with the liquid cooling compartment when the second passage is clear and the first passage is blocked.
United States Patent Application No. 2007/0062943, which was authored by Bosworth, Sr., describes a container lid for a cup-type beverage which includes within the lid a disc-shaped media in which the lid is adapted to be releasably affixed to the beverage container and where the lid is protected from the beverage within the container and wherein the disc may be removed from the lid and utilized for entertainment purposes.
United States Patent Application No. 2010/0264150, which was authored by Leon et al., describes a disposable beverage cup a disposable beverage cup that comprises a ledge between the cup's rim and the grasping portion of the cup that is commonly held in the user's hand. The ledge, which comprises a curb, a horizontal plane, and one or more indentations, acts as a barrier between the user's hand and other objects, preventing a lid that has been press fit onto the cup's rim from being dislodged. In order to remove the lid, the user must insert a finger and/or thumb into the indentation(s) and press upward on the lid. The cup has a contour between the ledge and the grasping portion with ergonomic features to increase the user's comfort in handling the cup.
United States Patent Application No. 2010/0320220, which was authored by Hussey et al., describes a plastic lid for a drinks container, for example, a coffee cup. The plastic lid is provided with an ancillary access facility in the form of an opening or a part of the lid easily removable to form an opening. The ancillary access facility allows a person to drink from the container without removal of the lid. After the ancillary access facility has been cleaned or de-contaminated it is protected by the application of a protective cover.
The protective cover may have a variety of shapes, for example, it may cover the entire lid or it may cover only a selected part of the lid, for example, only the area of the lid involving the ancillary access facility. The protective cover protects the ancillary access facility from the inadvertent transfer of germs to the drinking area by the person dispensing the drinks as they push the lid down with their hands to seal the lid to the container top. The protective covers are arranged to be easily stripped from the lid by the application of mere finger pressure.
From a consideration of the foregoing, it will be noted that the prior art perceives a need for a low cost lid and/or lid-insert construction or assembly usable in combination with a disposable hot beverage container assembly so as to enable the user to selectively transfer heat from the hot beverage via the lid elements outfitted upon the container so as to avoid scalding prior to beverage consumption, prevent spillage of (hot) beverage from the container, and preventing inadvertent removal of the lid elements as exemplified by the lid-insert construction from the outfitted hot beverage container. More particularly, the prior art further perceives a need for a lid-insert combination that becomes difficult to remove or effectively non-removable from an outfitted hot beverage container once outfitted thereupon so as to prevent scalding or spillage of hot beverage via inadvertent lid assembly removal. In this last regard, the prior art perceives a need for such a combination hot beverage container lid-insert assembly or combination and/or lid methodology supported thereby as summarized in more detail hereinafter.